Juice equals Soda?
The last 2 lectures I gave were well received, with the individuals open to knowing new information except for one thing that touched a raw nerve – my assessment of drinking juice. This morning’s Los Angeles Times sums up what I have been saying: drinking juice is equal to the same amount of sugar as drinking a glass of soda. This information has not been well received. Many people like their morning juice!
What exactly are the experts saying? Dr. Charles Billington, a researcher in obesity at the University of Minnesota, quoted in the Times article, states that juice is “pretty much the same as sugar water.”Think of all the oranges or apples you would have to squeeze to obtain a cup of juice. You are drinking all the sugar from the juice minus the fiber that helps stabilize your blood sugar when eating the fruit.
Earlier this year a new study showed that women drinking juice during their pregnancies have a 37% higher rate of gestational diabetes. Numerous studies show that a high concentration of fructose not only increases fatty liver but also makes your brain deaf to leptin, the hormone that lowers your appetite. Studies with children drinking juice show they are more than twice as likely to have weight issues as children who don?t consume juice.
So the bottom line on juice? Enjoy once in a while but stick to drinking water or other beverages without the extra sugar. Your body and liver will thank you!
